NFL News The Bears appear to be moving to Indiana

[upstater1]

That area is basically still Chicagoland. I used to go back and forth around the metro, and spent some time in Valparaiso. By the time I-90 gets to that area, you feel like you're basically in Chicago. At least, I did.



Very astute. I started an analysis normalizing Manning, Brees, and Brady's stats to account for the former two playing the majority of their games in domes. The numbers favored Brady so heavily that I think non-Pats people would have a hard time accepting it.

The worst part of Chicagoland. When I drive through that area on I-90 I feel like I've entered the fiery pits of hell. I'd rather live in Chiraq.

 

[slash83]

If the move ends up happening can they still be called the Chicago Bears or would they have to change it to Indiana?

 

[Nikolai]

I think I read somewhere that Brady had a higher QB rating than Manning both outdoors and in a dome but overall Manning had a higher QB rating because he played more games in a dome....

This is absolutely correct.

The worst part of Chicagoland. When I drive through that area on I-90 I feel like I've entered the fiery pits of hell. I'd rather live in Chiraq.

I used to call that stretch Mordor.

 

[Triumph]

If the move ends up happening can they still be called the Chicago Bears or would they have to change it to Indiana?

The Washington Commanders play in Maryland. The NY Jets and NY Giants play in New Jersey.

The San Francisco 49ers play in Santa Clara. The Dallas Cowboys play in Arlington. The Patriots claim a whole region.

 

[Gumby]

What does Indiana get by financing 2 billion worth of the cost and they still call it the Chicago Bears?

They're not making 2 billion in revenue at the gate.

Hotel stays are revenue.
Food-bev sales revenue
Internet sales thru the pro shop at stadium COULD be revenue. (?)
Players Income taxes on 8.5 games a year is revenue. Coaches salaries - income = 100% income taxable

Is more than just ticket-gate rev.

You get ZERO revenue BTW from a name change. And ZERO revenue from a team that stays in IL.

 

[Triumph]

Hotel stays are revenue.
Food-bev sales revenue
Internet sales thru the pro shop at stadium COULD be revenue. (?)
Players Income taxes on 8.5 games a year is revenue. Coaches salaries - income = 100% income taxable

Is more than just ticket-gate rev.

You get ZERO revenue BTW from a name change. And ZERO revenue from a team that stays in IL.

They will get a Super Bowl. That's typically the reward for building a new venue.

Plus, year round attractions.

 

[Gumby]

Hotel stays are revenue.
Food-bev sales revenue
Internet sales thru the pro shop at stadium COULD be revenue. (?)
Players Income taxes on 8.5 games a year is revenue. Coaches salaries - income = 100% income taxable

Is more than just ticket-gate rev.

You get ZERO revenue BTW from a name change. And ZERO revenue from a team that stays in IL.

And @festy1986

I didn’t even mention…
Revenue from parking
and all the employees who then choose to reside closer
+sales revenue of ancillary shops (since they plan on building „A Destination“… like the Shops at Foxborough)

AND Biggest kicker…. They get that growing revenue EVERY SINGLE YEAR for the next 20 at least. Divide that $2B by 20 to amortize and I’m pretty sure they will make more than $100M in tax revenue each year.. ….maybe first couple years less, but a little patience is often rewarded.

 

[festy1986]

Hotel stays are revenue.
Food-bev sales revenue
Internet sales thru the pro shop at stadium COULD be revenue. (?)
Players Income taxes on 8.5 games a year is revenue. Coaches salaries - income = 100% income taxable

Is more than just ticket-gate rev.

You get ZERO revenue BTW from a name change. And ZERO revenue from a team that stays in IL.

2 billion in hotel revenue?

We know that a paid stadium on tax players dime is a bad deal. Period. The least they can do is get their own name.

I can live with a team being in the metro area but once you cross state lines I think it's disingenuous. Just drop the city name at that point.

 

[XLIX]

That area is basically still Chicagoland. I used to go back and forth around the metro, and spent some time in Valparaiso. By the time I-90 gets to that area, you feel like you're basically in Chicago. At least, I did.

Can someone explain the **** to me why I-90 has a hairpin turn in the middle of downtown Cleveland??? I’m doing 75 - like everyone else - and next thing I know I’m breaking for my life.

And @festy1986

I didn’t even mention…
Revenue from parking
and all the employees who then choose to reside closer
+sales revenue of ancillary shops (since they plan on building „A Destination“… like the Shops at Foxborough)

AND Biggest kicker…. They get that growing revenue EVERY SINGLE YEAR for the next 20 at least. Divide that $2B by 20 to amortize and I’m pretty sure they will make more than $100M in tax revenue each year.. ….maybe first couple years less, but a little patience is often rewarded.

The salary cap is going to explode within about 5 years when the League moves to 18 games and they negotiate the new TV deals.

I bet the cap is at least $600 million by 2031 (once all the TV revenue kicks in).

 

[JoeSixPat]

So if this happens, they probably won't still be called "The Bears" anymore.

Any thoughts on names?

"The Hammond Praying Manti" kindof has a nice ring to it and probably makes for some fantastic logos

 

[Triumph]

And @festy1986

I didn’t even mention…
Revenue from parking
and all the employees who then choose to reside closer
+sales revenue of ancillary shops (since they plan on building „A Destination“… like the Shops at Foxborough)

AND Biggest kicker…. They get that growing revenue EVERY SINGLE YEAR for the next 20 at least. Divide that $2B by 20 to amortize and I’m pretty sure they will make more than $100M in tax revenue each year.. ….maybe first couple years less, but a little patience is often rewarded.

Construction revenue alone will he huge.

 

[Gumby]

Construction revenue alone will he huge.

Agreed.

And Festy,s point (argument?) that if they give out that much tax money they should get back some kind of naming rights is a pointless argument.

And as I said, changing the name generates ZERO TAX REVENUE, so there is absolutely no reason for the IL authorities to push for it. Changing the name would only damage the very product they are trying to promote in its new home

Again New tax revenue comes from moving those tax generating activities across state lines. THAT is their point-goal.
Not creating some new logo-color pattern on a jersey.

 

[fourhour]

Yeah, that hairpin turn in Cleveland scared the **** out of me. I was on a motorcycle, having started in La Crosse WI earlier that morning. Riding on I-90 through downtown Chicago, and that desolate area of East Chicago IN where the view was nothing but empty factories and rail road tracks. Finished the day in Erie PA. Truly happy to call New England my home.

As for the relocation plans, I can't understand why teams can't find a way to finance it on their own dime. Municipalities are broke and can no longer take on additional financing. Tax payers are fed up and the legislators are under a microscope more than ever. But we all know, just another extortion attempt.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Economics is basically rational behavior. People b*tch about Irsay and the Colts moving to Indy in the middle of the night but the Maryland Governor threatened to take the team by eminent domain and the only reasonable act was to move.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/instit...d-to-use-eminent-domain-to-seize-an-nfl-team/

Maybe the Bears looked at Illinois' fiscal position and Chicago's tax policies and financial situation ( Chicago finished fiscal year 2024 with a $41.1 billion gap between the money it has available to pay bills and the obligations it owes, ) and realized they are the cash cow that may get soaked in the future and the only rational move is to move 20 miles way to a state friendlier to them.

Chicago Forward 2026: A pro-growth plan to end city budget deficits

Maybe it is a Kraft to Hartford bluff/negotiating position but with that 24-0 vote in Indiana legislature, they are rolling out the red carpet. Illinois is not really in a strong position to sweeten the pot to keep them and I give it even odds they do move. Who had Indiana potentially joining NJ, Cal, OH, PA, FL, TX as states with multiple NFL teams ?

 

[Brandon_Cox]

Mike Ditka is rolling over in his grave.

Hey now. Iron Mike is 86 years young and could probably still kick all of our asses

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Yeah, that hairpin turn in Cleveland scared the **** out of me. I was on a motorcycle, having started in La Crosse WI earlier that morning. Riding on I-90 through downtown Chicago, and that desolate area of East Chicago IN where the view was nothing but empty factories and rail road tracks. Finished the day in Erie PA. Truly happy to call New England my home.

As for the relocation plans, I can't understand why teams can't find a way to finance it on their own dime. Municipalities are broke and can no longer take on additional financing. Tax payers are fed up and the legislators are under a microscope more than ever. But we all know, just another extortion attempt.

You can relive it at the 1:30 mark... Who designed it, Dr. Kavorkian? Haven't had the pleasure of experiencing it but now I know to slow down or die in Cleveland...

 

[borisman]

If they actually go through with the move, you may see more teams than just the Bears doing this exact thing for the exact same reasons.

 

[fourhour]

If they actually go through with the move, you may see more teams than just the Bears doing this exact thing for the exact same reasons.

Not a fan of tax payers being stuck with the bill. Most can't afford their taxes never mind attending a game in a building they paid for.

 

[n1997y]

As for the relocation plans, I can't understand why teams can't find a way to finance it on their own dime. Municipalities are broke and can no longer take on additional financing. Tax payers are fed up and the legislators are under a microscope more than ever. But we all know, just another extortion attempt.

Municipalities don’t foot the bill for things like this.

The state, or county or whatever political subdivision gets chosen to hold the bag, sets up a separate legal entity, a commission or district or whatever is most appropriate, for the project. That entity has authority to issue bonds backed by their assets and the full faith and credit of that entity. Of course the only assets are the stadium and contracts to use it. But the bond markets know that a contract with an NFL team is a pretty solid asset. So the team gets a modern stadium built using OPM (other people’s money) without burdening their balance sheets with the associated debt obligations.

Smarter is the way Kraft did it. The way I described ends up with the stadium owned by that public entity, so the team does not control it. As I understand Kraft did it all on his own dime so he has no strings on the ownership. What he did instead was to get the public money committed for projects he could not undertake on his own, like upgrading Route 1 and other highway annd transportation infrastructure.

 

[FCB02062]

It's good to see your dog **** takes don't stop at football.

Found the guy that doesn't like facts and thinks stating facts is a "**** take". Also found the guy that apparently never took Econ 101.